Dr. Richard Armenta received his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in 1970 from the University of Arizona; Master’s degree in Student Services, 1972, University of Connecticut; and Ph. D. in Higher Education, Policy and Governance, 1984, Arizona State University. His community college work experience began while serving as Assistant Dean and Dean of a Skill Center on the Pima Indian Reservation and as Dean of Community Services for Central Arizona College. In 1985, Dr. Armenta assumed the position of Campus Dean for Austin Community College’s Ridgeview Campus, while working on development of the

Northridge Campus where he served as its founding Campus Dean in 1989, and in 1991 established the college’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness. From 1997 to 2002 Dr. Armenta served as Vice Present of Instruction and Student Development, Del Mar College, Corpus Christi; and served as its Interim President during a formal Presidential Search. The University of Texas and Texas A&M University Systems offered him the opportunity to return to Austin as their special liaison to enhance Closing the Gaps efforts to help attract community college students to attend 4year institutions and was appointed to the State’s P-16 Council representing the University of Texas System.

He returned to Austin Community College to serve as the first Articulation Officer for the College, then as Dean of Students for the Rio Grande Campus, and later served as Associate Vice President for Student Success where he was responsible for assisting the college by officially achieving its Hispanic Serving Institution Status from the US Department of Education, developing the first LGBTQ district wide committee, representing ACC on the Board of the Greater Austin Area My Brothers’ Keeper initiative, and on the Board of the Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color, bringing CTN Ascender Program to ACC. In 2011 he was honored as ACC’s Administrator of the Year, and from 2017 until his retirement in 2020 while as Associate VP, Dr Armenta served as Dean of Student Affairs for the Hays Campus assisting staff with advising, student retention efforts, and overall student conduct matters. At present, Dr. Armenta assists CTN as Consultant in a liaison capacity to CTN member colleges in their efforts to implement the Ascender program.